Soldering 1000pF SMD Capacitors for Digital Synth Repair—Package Options?

Fixing a digital synth and ran into a cap bank that has been blown. First their all SMD caps second they are all 1000pF caps. I don't have experience with soldering SMD packages and couldnt find 1000pF caps in any other packaging...any suggestions or tips would be great...

Hi Nickolas,
You shouldn't have too much problems soldering an SMD part. I do it all the time in work. It takes a little practice.

How small are the 1000pF caps? if they're an 0805 package, you should be ok, if they're smaller than that, I'd suggest maybe practicing soldering them down or buying twice the amount of caps you need, just in case you make a mess of it. I'd really recommend using a flux pen and use lots of it, it eases the flow of the solder and leaves a nice clean connection as well.

Check out my blog about SMD Soldering a few years ago: http://mikepokeeffe.blogspot.com/2008/12/soldering-reflow-and-rework.html

Exactly how does one blow a bank of 1000pF (1nF) capacitors?

I apologise for querying the diagnosis - but only pose the question to gently suggest that maybe these components are not the root problem.

Jeff

Good question but they do go short circuit now and again very seldom I must admit but like all good things "Cough cough cough " Bad health you know They do In answer to this mans question though on a more serious note You need a very fine solder tip , magnifying glass , soldering flux and if you can afford one a hot air blower to start with

Nice cheap budget to start with " Highly recommended "

http://www.almit.com

Very good company nice people to deal with and can supply you with not only unleaded solder which I detest , I prefer leaded solder i really don't see what they are trying to achieve with unleaded solder "Wait till you see how many pcb' they throw away and I know 100% you will definitely agree with me re this , Never the less they can supply both types of solder They also do a very good flux for smd work Worth talking too this company


Next

Soldering equipment

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These days incredibly hard to find

Best of luck

Mark

I believe that they are 1005 caps. I was definitely going to get a few extra and just so how things go...I've don't through hole and copper roofing as the extent of soldering! Thanks for the link, this will help.

I've measured all the components in the synth and have found only these to be malfunctioning. Apparently the musician was having a little too much fun one evening and spilled all over the keys, power on, but didn;t notice until the next morning...unfortunate...

Mark-
Thanks so much for the links and information, I've been having a hard time finding leaded solder, which even i know is much easier to work with. I will definitely give these companies a look and hopefully find the things that im looking for. Good to know, since as of right now, my soldering iron is shot, and i was looking for a new and improved one...
thanks again

Nick

Hey,

Just use lots of flux.I solder Quad Flat 64 pin ICs in PCB.I put lots of flux on pins,then solder it with a big tip solder tool(figure out small tip doesn't work that well sometime!) . I used flood and suck method......put lots of solder iron over SMD pins and then use solder wick to suck extra residues....... fininshed product looks good n works pretty fine

Hi,
If you are finding any problem in SMD Soldering . then you can use service of any PCB assembler which provide service for proto or low volume like *Bittele*

Im still a little scared of the SMD parts, it's a 1.6mm X .3mm cap, and there are 9 of them within a 3/4 inch linear area, the specific caps are 1000pF, 10V(strange i know), it is used in the synth to prevent backflow through a ribbon cable to the keys....do you think it would be okay if i used a 1000pF, 50V instead? I've always heard bigger is better, but no the other way around, but mostly in relation to fuses, not caps...
Thanks so much for your help!

Nick

in regard to cap voltages, you are correct, you can always replace lesser with greater. these are the maximum design limits, put over 20V on a 20V cap and it might blow out so replacing a 20V cap with a 50V cap is just fine, just dont do it the other way around